the people a confequence in the government of their country, which they never poffeffed but in the reign of a Chatham? Or are they diffatisfied that their illuftrious member is not marked with the fame infidious infignificance which diftinguishes Sir Cecil, that he feems to hire ruffians to overawe the freedom of Election, that he acts uniformly on the broad batis of the public good, and that he would rather lofe his Election than carry it by the fame feries of infamous ftratagem which his enemies have adopted in the conduct of theirs?

The fame fyftem of intimidation, which fo long menaced in vain the late Parliament, feems now extended to difturb the freedom of Election. The bloody fcenes exhibited before the Huftings in Covent Garden, oftener than once fince the beginning of the Poll, muft open the people's eyes to the defpotic coercion of the Court in behalf of a favourite fycophant. Thofe on the fide of Lord Hood and Sir Cecil Wray, are constantly escorted by a banditti of armed men, in the habit of failors, who alternately parade and occupy all the paffages and ftreets contiguous to the Huftings. Left this circumftance might not operate fufficiently, infinite pains are taken to report, that a very nunerous body of failors lurk in moft of the ale-houses about the Garden, and are ready, on the firft fignal, to repeat their former outrages. This falfhood, as connected with the above fact, has fo much credit, as to render the friends of Mr. Fox and the conftitution not a little fhy. Does not all this put Englishmen in mind of the riot at Brentford, and the maffacre in St. George's Fields? Can Britons fupport a cause, thus daringly, and foully ftained by the blood of their fellow-citizens?

The beautiful Duchefs of Devonshire and her fifter Lady Duncannon were yesterday in Henrietta-ftreet, Covent Garden, for a confiderable time. The Fashionable Circle are all on the fame fide of the question, and their coaches made an elegant appearance from about two to three o'clock.

This is Paffion week, and much paffion there is in the city of Weftminster; praying too goes forward; but it is Election fupplications, and not forgiveness of fins. As to fafting, it is out of the queftion. The city has been a fcene of gluttony and drunkennefs, and though dramatic decency has fhut up the theatres, and fent the poor actors literally to ftarve for feven days, yet private routs, cards, fuppers, balls, and other amusements are in practice more than at any other feafon of the year. There are compliments gone abroad among the fafhionable world for parties on Good Friday, to celebrate in feftivity, not to mourn in forrow, the fate of that day. Religion is banished from almoft every rank of people, and even the very Bishops permit their Ladies to receive gambling affociates at hazard and card tables on Sundays and holidays without reprimand, and fometimes with participation in the paftime. The women go to church to be admired in the morning and to make affignations in the evening, and the men give regular attendance in the fame place to fulfil that purpofe. Thus the world goes on in Paffion week, in and about London, and perhaps it might not be far from the truth to say, that it is much the fame at this time in all parts of England.

One word and no more to the Electors of Westminster !-Two thousand five hundred votes remain yet unpoiled:-Independence muft ftill be your's if you zealously contend for it! -The Court has exhaufted its venality. You can only be enslaved therefore by your own fupinenefs. Come forth, then, like Britons, and give your fuffrages in defence of your own freedom; or henceforth repine not when Prerogative fhall elect your Reprefentatives without your concurrence!

Lord King appeared yesterday at the Huftings in Covent Garden, to poll for Sir Cecil Wray; and it was with fome difficulty the poll clerk covinced the noble peer with the courtly name, that he was in the prefent inftance completely ignorant of the laws of his country!

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Our readers may rely moft confidently that nothing can be more fallacious and temporary than the fuperiority which has been obtained by Sir Cecil Wray over Mr. Fox for Westminster every drummer and retainer of every defcription, fcullion, fag-guards, and black guards, have been exhaufted to produce this little tranfient victory, and what is worse, the contemptibility of thefe voters is not the worst part of them, as complete evidence can be adduced, that out of the 500 worthy and independent foldiers who have given a fuffrage on this occafion, there are at least 200 who are only lodgers, and have of course no legal pretenfion to a vote whatever. Mr. Fox's friends, many of them of the most refpectable character and fituation, have been actually intimidated from an attendance at the Huftings, by the infamous conduct of a hired affemblage of foldiers. and failors, but as proper means have now been adopted for putting an end to fuch practices, the world will foon be convinced, from the iffue of the two next day's poll, that it is not in refpectability only, but in numbers too, that Mr. Fox has the advantage of his late treacherous colleague,

Mr. Fox's remark to the good citizens of Westminster, that they cannot be bought, but may be fold, has made a deep impreffion on the Electors, and determined many hundreds of them, who figned the Addrefs, to vote for Mr. Fox, as the best qualified man in the country, to watch the motions of a Minister, and to give a national alarm, whenever the liberty of the fubject fhall be in danger.

Mr. Fox has already polled more fingle votes than ever were known at any election for Westminster, among which are the names of fome of the first and most respected families in the kingdom, and if he should lose his election, which is not probable, the majority will confift of common foldiers, fiddlers, pages, cooks, fcullions, &c.

One of the gentlemen of Sir Cecil Wray's Committe declared last night at the King's Head in James-ftreet, that they had fifteen wounded men all lying dead in Suffolk's Auction Room, who were all able and willing to fwear this morning that they were killed yesterday.

April 6.] Laft night the failors, who were beat from the Huftings in Covent Garden yesterday, went to St. James's-ftreet, intending to cut the chairs, but on their arrival they met with a very rough welcome from the Paddies, and after a flight conteft were most compleatly routed, moft of them with broken heads.

Mr. Fox has been manoeuvered out of a majority for the two laft days, principally by the partial conduct of the High Bailiff's clerks, who have hitherto made it a point of fwearing only three of Mr. Fox's with five of the adverfe party's voters; but the friends of that gentleman are determineded to correct this fhameful practice in future, by infifting on equal numbers being fworn on both sides: this, added to the newly adopted mode of a large Committee of Gentlemen attending the Independent Electors fafe to the Huftings, from Fox's new rendezvous, Lowe's Hotel, as well as the Shakespeare in Covent Garden, will no doubt give a turn to this day's poll, highly in favour of liberty and independence!

It must give every independent Briton the most heart-felt fatisfaction to be informed; that the former outrages, committed by the gang of armed failors, were amply retaliated yesterday on that band of defperate hirelings;-for the mob, with a fpirit of honeft indignation, rushed upon them towards the clofe of the poll, juft as they were commencing fresh hoftilities on the peaceable Electors, and wrefting from them their own bludgeons, foundly threshed, and afterwards drove the mifcreants from the environs of Covent Garden!

Yesterday the household troops of St. James's, from the Page of the Back Stairs to the Scullion in the Kitchen, were mustered, and polled againft Mr. F. The Guards were feverally

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feverally paraded in the Bird Cage Walk, by one of the candidates, in perfon, and from thence marched, unregimentalled, to vote in fupport of Sir Cecil Wray and Seeret Influence. -Who will now fay, that prerogative has not its full fwing?

It is a fact upon which our readers may inoft confidently rely, that not less than four hundred foldiers belonging to the guards, voted for Sir Cecil Wray and Lord Hood, which was the fole caufe of the temporary fuperiority of the former over Mr. Fox. It will fhock every man who ftill retains an attachment to the conftitution of his country, to be informed, which is nevertheless ftrictly true, that moft of the poor fellows beLonging to the above corps were compelled fome time ago to fubject themselves to the expence of houfe-rents, that they might be convertible into ufe on an Election emergency.

There never was a more ftriking inftance of the unbiaffed freedom of the British Electors than has been exhibited in the courfe of the prefent conteft for Westminster. The independence of the conflituent, which is the great fource of the independence of the reprefentatives, was never perfevered in with fo tenacious a facrednefs. We can affureour readers, that all the foldiers of the guards, failors, and the whole body of Court tradefmen, who have voted on the above occafion, were under no undue influence what ever, but gave their fuffrages from the pureft motives of genuine patriotism and the most difinterefied preference to thofe two great and decided friends of the House of Commons and the Conftitution, Lord Hood and Sir Cecil Wray.

The conduct of her R- Hs Pfs A-, on this occafion does her immortal honour. Her RHfs received a meffage from St. James's, requefting that fhe would command her household and tradefmen to vote for the Court candidates; to which the replied, that "fhe had been taught by her great and glorious father George "the Second, that it was contrary to the principles of the conftitution, and beneath the "dignity of the Crown, to interfere in popular Elections, and that he was determined "never to depart from fo illuftrious an example, but to leave all her dependants at free"dom to judge and act like Englishmen!"

This is not the first inftance that the R-I name has been degraded to influence Elections; it was used fo imprudently at Windfor against Lord Keppel, that he had a certainty of carrying his Election if he could have been prevailed on to petition against the return; but his Lordship chofe rather to lofe his Election, than to expose the Royal name to the contempt and ridicule of an Election Committee.

The prefent Prerogative Miniftry (fays a correfpondent) who for the purposes of their immoderate ambition have involved the King in a conteft with the Houfe of Commons, are proceeding further to degrade the Royal name, by employing it for the most unconftitutional purpofe of influencing Elections. When our Kings have been advised to become partizans, and have funk themselves to the level of individuals to gratify the views of party, difappointment and mortification have been the certain confequences.

There is a spirit in Englishmen that revolts at an unequal conteft, and will not fuffer a great and manly character to be crushed even by the arm of

The number of April fools on Thursday last was much greater than ufual, owing to the General Election.

The partizans of Sir Cecil Wray have pretty nearly exhaufted all their arts and all their lifts; they can no longer deceive the people, by declaring, during the poll, that Lord North has loft his Election for Banbury, and Lord John Cavendish for York. The retort upon Mr. Fox to counteract the indignation raifed in every honeft breaft by Sir Cecil Wray's inhumanity to the Chelfea Penfioners, has already loft all its effects,. and his fuppofed bribery at Taunton is found to have been the lie of the day. The fafety of the peaceable Electors is fecured against the violence of the crews of feamen, who, to

the

the difgrace of the first Lord of the Admiralty, have been let loofe on the city with their officers at their head; all the guards have been mustered and voted, and the poll is at prefent dragged out by lodgers, and perfons having no votes. The numerous body of Electors who have promifed Mr. Fox, and have hitherto been detained from approaching the Huftings, will now therefore make their appearance, and afcertain the independency of the city.

A gentleman on Tuesday laft, met an old acquaintance walking to the Huftings in Covent Garden: "So! you are going," faid he, "to vote for that fad dog Charles "Fox!" The other coolly replied, "I am determined, Sir, to give Mr. Fox my vote, my "not becaufe he is a fad dog, but for a better reafon;-he is a good houfe dog:

a good Houfe of Commons dog. And while we have him there to guard our liberties, fhall have little reason to apprehend any danger from court wolves or ministerial " tygers."

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April 8.] Mrs. Hobart made her appearance yesterday, in her carriage, near the Huftings at Covent Garden, under the noxious banner of Sir Cecil Wray; but unfortunately for her, fhe was obliged to pafs the line of Devonshire beauties, that were ranged along the windows at the end of Henrietta ftreet, from whom the received a platoon of biffis, for her groundless apoftacy!

The mode that has been adopted in the prefent conteft, to compel the guard foldiers to vote for Sir Cecil Wray, is this: the Colonel of each regiment has the power of giving or refufing leave to the privates, to work at their refpective trades. The permiffion to do fo, makes the difference of 30s. a week in their favour; of course, the withholding leave is a most effectual punishment for any inattention to the Colonel's mandate. In this manner, four hundred votes have been jobbed for Sir Cecil Wray; deduct that number from Sir Cecil's voters, and there remains a decided majority in favour of Mr. Fox. Is it poffible, that the real refpectable Electors will fuffer their uninfluenced opinions to be violated by the worst force of the military power?-Revenue officers of every denomination are prohibited from voting; and yet though it must be evident to every man of the leaft reflection, that the foldiery are infinitely more fubject to influence, the Election of Westminster may ultimately be decided by four hundred of the guards!

Thofe who conceive Mr. Fox's Election to be loft for Weftminfter, merely on account of the prefent fallacious afpect of things, are moft egregiously mistaken indeed. The independent men who are under no indirect influence, and are not compelled to convene at any particular moment, and to proceed to vote under any particular leader, are not always fo forward with their fuffrages, and it is well known, from a recent canvafs, that at least feven hundred votes of this defcription, remain at this time unpolled, in the intereft of Mr. Fox. These men are not to be marshalled, like a detachment of guards, and have no commanding officer to adminifter a whipping in cafe of difobedience. They knew no ftandard but that of liberty-and acknowledge no orders, but the dictates of their confcience. A very few days will prove the truth of these

affertions.

Her Majefty has all the morning prints at breakfast every day, and the Princeffes are permitted to read them. Her eye caught the indecent language of that one which attacked the Duchefs of Devonfhire. She gave it to an attendant and faid, let that paper never more enter the palace doors. The story got round, and the fame orders were. given every where elfe.

Monf. le Duc de Bouillon, now refident here, uncle to the Emperor of Germany, and of course one of the firft Peers of France, has interefted himself very zealously in Mr.

Mr. Fox's caufe. A whig Frenchman is rather a rare character, but here we find it moft illuftriously exemplined.

Her Grace of Devonshire, Lady Duncannon, and one of the Lady Waldegraves, towards the clofe of yesterday's poll, were engaged in canvaffing Tavistock-ftreet, and its environs. The fuccefs of this fair party is not to be questioned, as every milliner's fhop they vifited, immediately on their departure, hoifted out Fox-fkin muffs, in teftimony of allegiance to the beautiful triumviri!

The lovely Duchefs is indefatigable in the caufe of liberty; in fpite of all the minifterial exertions against the ladies, the hearts of Englishmen are not yet infenfible to the attractive graces of beauty. It is in vain that the unmanly runners of the immacu late youth revile the fex; they are fill triumphant with every man of fenfibility and honour. The dapper tribe of boy fenators had better be on their guard; the indignation of the people, when once it is thoroughly roused, may not be foon allayed. April 9. Lord North polled yesterday for Mr. Fox.

The halt, lame, and blind, were brought up yesterday to the Huftings at Covent Garden, to poll for the Man of the Court, in oppofition to that statesman, who is still the Man of the People!

The Court tools of the parish of St. Ann's, that have fo honourably diftinguifhed themfelves during the prefent electioneering conteft, in the caufe of freedom! not content in canvafling their parifh with their reverend Paftor and Churchwardens at their head, contrived to make nocturnal vifits to the indigent clafs of inhabitants, reinforced by the collectors of taxes, who, by this oppreffive manoeuvre found little difficulty, as may be fuppofed, in compelling those who were in arrears to vote against the MAN of their own choice!

A morning paper, particularly friendly to the prefent Ministry, yesterday gave notice, that their Majefties' households will now be paid up to Lady-day. N. B. All the household troops have now voted against Mr. Fox!

Let it not be forgot by the worthy and free inhabitants of Westminster, that on the first great conteft for the independence of the city of Westminster, from the fhackles of aristocratic authority, Mr. Fox was five hundred behind Lord Lincoln, a few days before the conclufion of the Election, but notwithstanding obtained a moft decifive triumph at the final clofe of the poll.

Whatever may be the refult of the prefent conteft, it is the ftrict duty of Mr. Fox to expose the shameful devices that have been practifed by his opponents. It is a notorious fact, that above 300 receipts for parochial taxes were fent by a certain Committee to their military voters, with this fhort explanation :-Vote for the Court, and keep the receipt-Vote the other way, and vice the receipt; expect the utmost rigour of the law for the flighted delay.

It is univerfally obferved, that, in every minifterial publication of the prefent period, there is a regular and fyftematic attack against the ladies. This remark is strictly true; examine any minifterial publication, and if it does not contain grofs and unmanly reflections on the loveliest and most amiable of the fex, then the point in queftion fhall be given up; but, on the contrary, if there appears an invariable practice in all minifterial writings, to freer at women, then let us feel like Englishmen, and deteft a habit fo foreign to the native gallantry of British hearts, fo unworthy the natural feelings of virtue and honour.

When Sir Cecil Wray shook hands with Lord Hood yesterday on the Huftings, one of the votets cried out," Take care, my Lord, if he fmiles in your face, he'll cer"tainly